Page 219 of Hidden Nature

“Well, if you get the chairs, I could help you prep them, paint them. If you buy a pot and pansies… I haven’t spent a Saturday afternoon with my girl in ages.”

“I think the chairs are a given. So paint, pot and pansies, and a Saturday afternoon with my mom it is.”

“The nursery’s closest.”

And there, Sloan found a pot that picked up the deep blue of her door, and turned to put it in the cart with the pansies.

“Hey, Sloan. Ms. Elsie.”

“Hallie.” Sloan put the pansies in the cart and went in for a hug.

“Looks like y’all are doing the same as me.” Hallie Reeder, tall, lithe, with a wide-brimmed hat over her fountain of curls, chose her own flat. “Spring fever’s got me.”

“You look great.”

“I feel the same. The wedding’s coming right up.” She hunched her shoulders in a self-hug. “Part of me can’t wait, and the other part’s worried there’s not enough time to get everything done. So I’m taking a day to plant flowers, and take some over to Diane.”

“She sent me a picture of the baby. Justin James Blakley’s adorable.”

“How are they doing?” Elsie asked. “The new family.”

“Mama and Daddy aren’t getting a lot of sleep, but they’re as happy as happy gets. I’m taking over some flowers so I have an excuse to cuddle JJ awhile. Terry tells me don’t get any ideas yet,” she said with a grin, “but I’ve already got them.”

She hesitated, then loaded another flat. “Spring fever,” she repeated. “And I might as well keep busy since Terry’s working a double.”

“I hit the Seabreeze for takeout every couple weeks,” Sloan told her. “They’re lucky to have him.”

“That man can cook. It’s so good to have you home, Sloan. It’s nice to run into a friend over flowers.”

“It really is.”

“And you’ve got the best gardener in the Rest with you. I know you had a hand in the town pots, Ms. Elsie. They’re just beautiful.”

“There’s plenty of spring fever to go around.”

“And I’m going to put mine to good use. It’s wonderful to see both of you. Sloan, we’ve got to have a serious catch-up soon.”

“We’ll make a point of it.”

When Hallie rolled her cart away, Elsie turned to Sloan. “You really should. Have yourself a girls’ night, baby.”

“You’re right. I haven’t made time, but I will. I’ll see when Diane’s comfortable leaving the baby for a couple hours, and we’ll do that serious catch-up all around.”

When she stepped back to her cart, she saw the woman, pink floppy hat, sunglasses, browsing the garden statues. And the tall man beside her, a cap over his short twists.

“I saw them in town.”

“What?” Elsie walked around a stone urn. “I can use this. Your father will groan, but I can use this.”

“That couple over there. Do you see them?”

“Who?” When Elsie turned, they walked in the opposite direction.

“The woman in the pink hat, man in the red cap. I saw them in town the other day.”

“Honey, people will shop around, wander about.”

“Yeah, but… I still couldn’t see her face. I’d place her if I did. I’d know where I’d seen her before if I saw her face.”

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